A narrow strip of park between the Rift Valley escarpment and an alkaline lake, packing groundwater forest, open floodplain, hot springs and famous tree-climbing lions into a small area.
Ernest Hemingway called it the loveliest lake in Africa, and the first impression from the escarpment road supports him. Two thirds of the park is water. The land section is a narrow band where groundwater forced up by the escarpment feeds a genuine forest of mahogany and fig, home to blue monkeys and one of the largest baboon populations on the continent. Beyond the forest the land opens to floodplain and the alkaline lake, where flamingos and pelicans feed in the shallows. The tree-climbing lions are the park signature, though sightings are never guaranteed. Manyara works best as a half day combined with Tarangire or Ngorongoro rather than a destination on its own.
All year. The dry season concentrates game; the green season brings extraordinary birdlife.
A short, high-density introduction to northern Tanzania. Three days covering Tarangire elephant herds, the Lake Manyara…
A compact park with remarkable variety. Groundwater forest, the famous tree-climbing lions, hippo pools and an alkaline lake…
The complete northern circuit. Six days covering all four headline parks with two nights in the Serengeti and an unhurried…
Wildlife and people in equal measure. Time with Maasai pastoralists, the Hadzabe hunter-gatherers of Lake Eyasi and Datoga…
